Since the Portuguese withdrew from Angola over twenty years ago, the country's roads, bridges and transportation systems have fallen into disrepair while the country engaged in civil war.

Trucks sit beside the roads lacking the replacement parts that would enable them to run. Bridges have collapsed and the roads are full of potholes.

On a recent trip to Angola, a representative from Samaritan's Purse (an organization that gets money to people in need) was being driven through this impoverished, war torn country to assess the needs, when he noticed that his driver made no attempt to avoid the deep potholes and ruts characteristic of that nation's highways.

In fact, his driver seemed to be avoiding those places where some repair work had been carried out — those few holes that had been filled in.

Curious, he asked his driver why he avoided those few relatively smooth patches of road.

"Because," came his reply, "That's where the land mines are."

(This is a story Franklin Graham told after his trip to Angola some years ago. It could be used to illustrate the fact that a Christian life is one of struggle or that the rocky places in life are not to be avoided.)